Germany is struggling with its manufacturing industry bumping along the bottom, which has never been the case since its restoration following WW2.

The reason for this state of affairs would appear to be chiefly caused by the EU as a whole allowing itself to be coerced and bullied into taking ridiculous trade sanctions by the USA against Russia, at a time when it could not be less prudent for them to do so.

This comes after the USA has done so much to instigate and thus destabilise the democratically elected government in Kiev in Ukraine, which has ultimately led to a civil war in the East of the country.

The German trade with Russia is sizeable and stands at a minimum of 6000 companies, all of which have been temporarily or quite possibly permanently lost, as Eastern countries, including China, seek to replace it. After the disillusionment of the Soviet Union in 1991 the Russian Federation with its newly established Confederation of Independent States, were given concrete assurances by the USA and NATO that they would not step one inch into former Warsaw pact countries. However, these reassurances as given to the last premier of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, turned out to be nothing other than quite calculated and blatant lies, as no sooner was the ink dry on agreements then the intentional encroachment began in earnest.

The USA continues to be intent on continuing its blatant interference and coercion in the affairs of other sovereign countries purely it would seem for the sole purpose of perceived financial gain, whilst at the same time having the knock on effect of destabilising their economies.

Indeed, with Germany being our major European trading partner, its current manufacturing malaise is bound to affect this country, which goes to show just how stupid it was for the EU to give in to USA demands for sanctions against Russia, thus adding to the already dire financial problems there.

When are we ever going to learn as a country that the world as we know it does not revolve around the wishes of the USA and its often abysmal attitude towards other countries around the planet, and more to the point, stop blindly being led along by them?

G A Woodward Nelson Street Swindon